Bottle stopper



pril 6, 1943. A. MOELLER BOTTLE STOPPER Filed Aug. 18, 1941 INVENTOH AXEL MOELLER ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 6, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOTTLE STOPPER Axel Moeller, Racine, Wis.

Application August 18, 1941, Serial No. 407,276

4 Claims. '(Ci. 21553)` This invention appertains to bottle Stoppers, and more particularly to bottle stoppers of the expansible type, and is an improvement on my bottle stopper shown in my pending application Serial No. 283,524, filed July 10, 1939.

One of the primary objects of my present invention is to provide means for producing a positive seal between the compressible body of the stopper and the interior of the bottle neck, when the stopper is in its operative position, whereby the leakage of liquid and gas will be absolutely precluded.

Another salient object of my invention is to provide means on the compressible body of the stopper for Contact with the interior of the bottle neck, so that when the 'body is compressed a firm grip will be had by the stopper on said neck, whereby the blowing of the stopper by gas under vpressure in said bottle will be prevented. Y

A. further important object of my invention is to produce a vacuum seal between the compressible body of the stopper and the bottle neck, whereby to bring about the positive seal and to prevent the blowing of the stopper from the bottle.

A still further important object of my invention is the provision of a bottle stopper including a compressible body having formed thereon spaced annular neck-engaging ribs defining annular channels therebetween, with means for compressing the body longitudinally to expand the body circumferentially, so as to force the ribs toward one another and to flatten the ribs against the bottle neck, with means for then slightly releasing the longitudinal compression of the body to allow slight expansion of the ribs, the expansion of the ribs functioning to permit enlargement of the channels, whereby a suction is formed in each channel to create a vacuum against the inner wall of the bottle neck.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more speciiically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my improved stopper, showing the same in the neck of a bottle but in its released, unlocked position, the bottle neck being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the stopper in section, and with the compressible body in its greatest expanded condition, the cam lever being on the high point of its cam.

Figure Sis a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the cam lever in its completely locked position, with the high point thereof past the center of the stopper, so as to allow a slight con#- traction cireumferentially of the compressible body.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the stopper, with the cam lever in its lowered locked position.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through the stopu per, taken on the line tof Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corre sponding parts throughout the several views, the letter S generally indicates my improved stopper, and N the neck of a bottle with which the stopD per can be associated.

The genera construction of the stopper S is similar to that shown in my pending application above referred to, and, hence, the same includes a compressible body portion 6, which can be formed fromrubber or similar material. The body is provided with a longitudinally extend ing axial bore l'.

The lower end of the compressible body 6 is engaged and supported by a bottom cone plate ti, which can be stamped from sheet metal of the desired gauge. Rigidly secured to the axial center of the cone plate 8 is a threaded stem 9. This stem extends loosely into the bore l' of the com pressible body, and the upper end of the stem is received in an elongated internally threaded sleeve I0. The sleeve extends exterlorly of the body 6 and has slidably mounted thereon a top pressure plate Il. The pressure plate il is of a greater diameter than the cone plate 9 and, preferably, has formed on its periphery an arcuate outstanding annular flange I2 for engaging over the upper surface of the top bead of the bottle neck N. Thus, the central part of the pressure plate I I is somewhat depressed so as to extend into or flush with the top of the bottle neck. This allows the rubber body 6 to extend entirely within the bottle neck. If so desired, the pressure plate and the cone 8 can be formed from colored plastic material.

Disposed above the pressure plate II is a cam lever I3. This cam lever I3 is connected to the upper end of the sleeve l0 by means of a crosspin I4. As illustrated, the cam lever is also struck from a single piece of sheet metal, and the same is of a substantial U-shape in cross section for embracing the upper end of the sleeve. The outer end of the lever has formed thereon an angularly extending manipulatingiingerpiece I5, while the inner end of the lever has formed thereon cam lips I6, which are adapted to engage the upper edge of the pressure plate II when the cam is being swung to its lowered position for raising the bottom cone plate 8.

As the cam lever I3 is swung down (see Figure 2), the sleeve I 0 and the threaded stem 9 are pulled up toward the pressure plate II, and the pressure plate is held tight against the bottle neck. Thus, the body 6 is compressed longitudinally and the body will expand circumferentially. The body is expanded circumferentially to its greatest extent when the high point of the cam lip I6 engages the pressure plate, as is best shown in Figure 2,

and when the high point of the cam lips ride past the axial center of the stopper (see Figure 3) the compressible body will be slightly contracted cir, cumferentially, for a purpose which will later appear.

In accordance with my present invention, I

' form on the outer surface of the compressible body 6 .spaced annular outstanding ribs il, and these ribs define annular channels I8 therebetween. The ribs are provided, preferably, with llat outer peripheries'for engaging the interior of the bottle neck.

In'use of the stopper, the stopper is inserted in the hottie neck, while the cam lever is in its raisedposition, as ls clearly shown in Figure 1, and as the compressible body is expanded longitudinally, the stopper can be quickly and conveniently inserted within the bottle neck. As the cam lever I3 is swung down and the body 6 is compressed longitudinally and expanded circumferentially,.the ribs I'I will be brought toward one another and flattened against the inner surface of the bottle neck, as is clearly shown in Figure 2, and the body is compressed longitudinally to its fullest extent when the high point of the cam lip i6 engages the pressure plate II, and when the high point of the cam lip I6 is in longitudinal alinement with the axial center of the stopper. As the high point of the cam lip I6 rides past the center of the stopper (see Figure 3) and the cornpressible bodyis slightly expanded longitudinally, a `slight contraction circumferentially of the compressible body 6 is permitted, and, consequently, the annular ribs I l will enlarge in their effort to assume their normal conguration. Hence,

, when the ribs enlarge, a suction is created in the annular channels I8 against the wall of the bottle neck, which forms, in effect, a vacuum seal which positively holds the stopper against blowing out when gas pressure is created in the bottle.

By my improved construction, not only is a perfeet tight seal formed, but also a desired grip ls had by the stopper on the bottle neck, so that the stopper cannot be forced out of the bottle.

Changes in details may be made, which do not depart from the spirit and scope of my claims, and what I claim as new is:

1. In an expansible stopper including, an elongated compressible body having an axial bore extending therethrough, means for compressing the body longitudinally and expanding the same circumferentially, and annular spaced ribs formed on the outer surfaceof the body dening air suction channels therebetween.

2. In a stopper, an elongated compressible body, spaced annular ribs formed on lthe outer surface of the body deining air suction channels therebetween, and means for compressing the body longitudinally to expand the same circumferentially, whereby to flatten said ribs against the inner surface of a bottle neck.

3. In a bottle stopper, anelongated compressible body, spaced annular ribs formed on the outer surface of the body defining annular channels therebetween, and means for initially compressing the body longitudinally to expand the body circumferentially, whereby to force and atten said ribs against the inner surface of a bottle neck, and, secondly, to slightly release the compression of the body longitudinally, whereby to allow slight expansion of the ribs to create a suction in said channels on said bottle neck.

4. In a stopper, an elongated compressible body having an axial bore extending therethrough, a bottom cone plate engaging the lower-end of the body, a threaded stem having its lower end firmly anchored to the axial center of the cone and extending into said bore, an elongated internally threaded sleeve receiving the upper end of the stem and extending into said bore, a pressure plate slidably mounted on the sleeve for engaging the upper edge of a bottle neck and thecompressible body, a swinging cam lever pivotally associated with the upper end of the sleeve, having a cam for contact with the upper face of the plate, and spaced annular ribs formed on the outer surface of the compressible body dening annular channels therebetween, said ribs being compressed to their maximum extent against the inner surface of the bottle neck, when the cam of the cam lever engages at its high point the upper surface ofthe plate, said ribs being slightly expanded to create a suction in said channels when 

